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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24879415">Bone Stealer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BittyBattyBunny/pseuds/BittyBattyBunny'>BittyBattyBunny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, Dissection, Gen, New england is just like that, Other, Platonic Life Partners, Supernaturally Oblivious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:49:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,970</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24879415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BittyBattyBunny/pseuds/BittyBattyBunny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just an average normal taxidermist and butcher in your average normal town. At least, Bunny thinks that ... until unconventional animals start getting dropped off at her doorstep.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Fire Starter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to Gingersanps for Beta reading as always with my work~!</p><p>Also just a heads up; Bunny's work room is not a standard Taxidermy room. It's a mix of a room to butcher and to do taxidermy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She wheezed as she wiped her mouth. Standing at the alley wall she reached for a bottle of water in her bag pulling it out  to rinse the taste of vomit away. She sighed as she walked back into the street, the sunlight way too bright as she walked down the street.</p><p> </p><p>She pushed open the door to the convenience store, the bells ringing as she entered.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning!” The clerk greeted her with a smile that felt too wide to her. He had his hands folded in front of him as his eyes focused on the young woman.</p><p> </p><p>She gave a small wave with a forced smile. She headed back towards the ice cooler, grabbing several bags. She grabbed a 12 pack of ginger ale and headed towards the counter.</p><p> </p><p>“Same as usual, huh?” He laughed loudly, his pot belly shaking as he did.</p><p> </p><p>“Well. That’s how it goes when you have an easily upset stomach.” She avoided his eyes, “The ice is for another case from fish and game.” She sighed heavily.</p><p> </p><p>“What they bring to your shop today?” He asked while scanning her items, “Need any scratchers or smokes?”</p><p> </p><p>She shook her head, “Naw, I’m not a smoker.” She scratched her cheek as she frowned, “It’s… Well a deer.” She thought of the carcass that was dropped off in her shop that morning and paled. Her stomach retching again, “Yeah. Just a deer.”</p><p> </p><p>His smile didn’t drop, “Oh venison is so good! If you don’t want to put the meat for sale, don't be a stranger!”</p><p> </p><p>“Uh.. I don’t think the meat on it is salvageable.” She admitted with a shudder, “It’s not...fresh.” She grimaced. "I'm not sure I can even mount it."</p><p> </p><p>“That’s a shame!” he lost the smile for a quick moment but up it went when another customer entered, “Good Morning!” he greeted.</p><p> </p><p>She paid and grabbed her things, rushing from the store. She had to get home and ice the body before her entire shop began to smell of its.. Unique odor. She sighed as she felt her stomach churn. She needed to get home so she could throw up properly.</p><p> </p><p>She tried to pick up the pace down the street. She tensed when she felt someone walking behind her. She turned to see no one directly there. She took a deep breath. She closed her eyes turning forward and jumped at the young man who was grinning like a madman.</p><p> </p><p>“Morning Little Bunny~!” He was smiling ear to ear, his black eyes sparkling at her pale face.</p><p> </p><p>“G-Good morning…Steve.” She mumbled trying to catch her breath. She pushed past him, “Sorry I need to get home.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, you got something fun this morning, huh?” He followed behind her and took the case of ginger ale from her and one of the ice bags, “let me help.” He gave her a very sharp toothed grin. </p><p> </p><p>She frowned but gave in with a heavy sigh, “You want to see it don’t you.” She looked at him with pale tired eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m glad you knew~!” He sang as they headed towards the outskirts of the town.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s.. not pretty. It’s from a car accident.” She sighed as they got to the home based shop. She pulled her keys out, the small rabbit plush dangling off of them jingling with its internal bell. She opened the door heading inside. The house smelt like pine. Burning pine. She grimaced and covered her nose.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh smells great! Did you put a candle on or something?” He asked as he went to put the soda in her fridge, “do you want one?” He asked. He laughed watching her run to the bathroom. The sound of her vomiting reaching his ears. He grabbed one of the already cold cans, finding a glass in her cupboards and heading towards the bathroom. He rested on the doorway as he poured the drink for her.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s the body.” She admitted as she wiped her mouth. She took the glass from him and slammed it down with a groan. She stuck her tongue out as she stood up grimacing. “A deer shouldn’t smell like a forest fire.” She pulled her hat off, her dusty red brown hair a mess. She smoothed it back best she could and grabbed a hair tie from the bathroom counter. She walked out, setting the glass in the sink and pulling her hair back. She washed her hands up and headed towards the back room. </p><p> </p><p>He washed his hands before following after. He watched her grab an apron and cover up, pulling gloves on her hands and a face shield over her face. </p><p> </p><p>“Want the ice?” He asked seeing the odd corpse on the taxidermist’s table. </p><p> </p><p>“Please.” she held back another retch, “A corpse shouldn’t smell like this.” She mumbled as she grabbed some of her knives and tools.</p><p> </p><p>“I’d think you’d prefer it over the standard corpse smell.” He poured the ice into the sections on the edge of the table that cooled the whole thing down for her work.</p><p> </p><p>“I would if it made any sense.” she sighed and began to cut it up, the smell increasing. “Honestly I’m just sick of getting these weird deer and rabbits and foxes and birds every time they find one. It’s not like I’m the only person around who can deal with them! I just want NORMAL animals to mount!”</p><p> </p><p>“And yet, you keep taking them. And mounting them. And butchering them.” He pulled on some gloves to hold the deer open, “honestly you are so weird Little Bunny.”</p><p> </p><p>She shot him a glare as she dug into the stomach of the deer to grab the internal organs. She frowned as she pulled out the intestinal tract and the attached tissue, “Hrm.”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>“No damages.” She admitted as she fingered along the squishy pink and red viscera. </p><p> </p><p>“Didn’t you say..”</p><p> </p><p>“Car wreck.” She nodded to him as she used her foot to grab a bucket from under the work table and began to drop the organs into it. She frowned, “They aren’t even in the same state of decay.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can I have those?” He asked, trying not to drool.</p><p> </p><p>She grimaced, “yeah sure. I don’t care. Saves me composting it.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh awesome.” He wiped his mouth on his sleeve.</p><p> </p><p>She emptied the chest and frowned looking at the bucket. She knelt down, pulling out organs and mumbling names. She furrowed her brow.</p><p> </p><p>“No heart?” He looked over and stared at the gore in the bucket and into the chest.</p><p> </p><p>“No heart.” She repeated as an affirmative.</p><p> </p><p>“How was it alive then?” He turned it to look at the legs and spine, bent at odd angles. It made sense for a car wreck. He snickered. The head was almost all the way back snapped.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s so funny?” She asked as she got up. She pulled her gloves off to change them.</p><p> </p><p>“Just looking at it’s bones and stuff. And the no heart thing. Was it pre-cut?” He asked as he watched her. He stuck his arm inside reaching up into the internal cavity.</p><p> </p><p>“Get your hand out of there.” She sighed with new gloves, “No, I slit it when it got in to bleed it some while I went to get ice.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not get an ice machine?” He wondered as he pulled out of the corpse. He flung blood off his arm, “there really is no heart huh. Shame. I like hearts.” He sighed a little disappointed.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m more curious how this thing lived to <em> adulthood </em> without one.” She rubbed her neck as she grabbed her scalpels and flipped the deer to it’s back, “I can’t even save this pelt.” She grumbled upset, “it’s got so many scrapes and cuts. Fur’s rubbed right off from hitting the pavement. Maybe I can turn it to leather but I can't mount it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’d pay for gloves if you make it into leather.” He admitted as he pet the slightly charred fur.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll just give the leather to you then.” She shrugged, “I mean you help get rid of the internal bits so why not.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh. Cool.” He blinked as he watched her crack the rib cage, “Not saving it?” He asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Not worth it.” She pointed to the legs and the middle spine, “the thing is so gnarled and twisted, I couldn’t really do anything. I may give most of it to my beetles and see how it looks clean, but I can rewire it if I decide to pose it. I just want to make sure there’s nothing in the soft tissues.”</p><p> </p><p>“I see.” He watched as she began to saw the meat from the bones. He gulped back some drool. The rancid smell was slowly replacing the pine smell. It was really good.</p><p> </p><p>She frowned as she held a sliver of the red flesh to the light, “Are those worms?” She mumbled looking at long white stripes that moved in the flesh. However they vanished as the light hit them. She squinted confused. She sighed. “Can you go open the lid to the cage?”</p><p> </p><p>“On it!” He ran towards the left side of the room, he pulled the curtain off the large 100 gallon tank that housed many, many carnivorous beetles. He pulled the lid off with a sharp toothed grin, “Want me to move it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh? Yeah sure.” She pulled her gloves off to wash up. Writing some notes on a pad of paper. “Let me just skin it first. Put it up on a hook for right now.” She pulled her mask off as she fixed her ponytail and grabbed frash gloves and her knives. She sharpened the blade as she walked over using the steel.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m jealous of the little beetles.” Steve sighed as he watched her begin to remove the skin with exact precision. The hide peeling from the flesh like a banana of meat. He huffed as she laughed at him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s semi rotted. It’s honestly perplexing how the organs are fine but the meat is at least 6 days out!” She admitted as the left over blood coated her arms and apron.</p><p> </p><p>“But that just means it’s fermented nicely.” He crossed his arms, getting blood on his jacket.</p><p> </p><p>“Look I have some ACTUAL venison in the butcher freezer. I’ll cook some for lunch.” She snickered, “So stop pouting. I’m not giving you rotting flesh.”</p><p> </p><p>“I Like rotting.” He grumbled but reached up to help hold the deer steady as she finished stripping it. The hide fell on the floor with a wet schlop.</p><p> </p><p>“Into the tank?”</p><p> </p><p>“Into the tank.”</p><p> </p><p>He reached up to unhook it and dropped the entire thing into the enclosure and shut the lid tight as they began to feast. He knelt down staring through the glass. Oh to be a tiny carnivorous beetle. </p><p> </p><p>“Come on, let’s clean up.” She sighed grabbing the hide. She threw it in the sink and began to run cold water, rinsing the blood. She paused.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s wrong now?” He stood behind her as she lifted the pelt.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not a dark brown.” she admitted. The fur had turned almost tawny with the water, “Weird. It wasn’t soot when I was handling it.” She grumbled as she cleaned it and threw it in a bucket, “I’ll soak it after lunch. My stomach hurts from vomiting so much this morning.”</p><p> </p><p>“How many today?” He asked as she grabbed the hose to wash the blood towards the drain.</p><p> </p><p>“Three. Once before I left, I threw up in an alleyway and of course when I got home.” She sighed, “It’s the worst stress response ever.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hrm. Hey how about I go cook while you finish? You said it’s in the butcher freezer?” He clapped his sharp nailed hands together.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. but. I don’t trust you to go and JUST get the deer.” She stared at him with narrowed eyes.</p><p> </p><p>He looked away from her sheepishly.</p><p> </p><p>“Steve.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s me yes!” He laughed and held his hands up, “Scouts honor I’ll just grab the deer! What’s the label?”</p><p> </p><p>“Frozen 4/29.” She sighed and shook her head as she sprayed the work table down, “and ONLY the Frozen 4/29. You leave the other meat alone!” she growled.</p><p> </p><p>“Fine. fine.” He pouted, “Honestly. I’m sorry meat’s just GOOD. And you cut it up so nicely. No bones and no fur.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s because it’s my job!” She laughed.</p><p> </p><p>He grinned back and gave his cheek a small punch, “yeah, yeah. Alright! I’ll go start lunch!” He scampered off towards the shop at the front of the house.</p><p> </p><p>She gave a heavy sigh once he left. She didn’t even notice the deer in the tank had turned to look at her.</p><p> </p><p>“Just another day in paradise.” She grumbled and turned the hose off. She hung the apron up as she turned the lights off. The pelt in the bucket was giving a small ember glow as she shut the door, unaware.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Salted Lake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Steve loses a fight with a fish and Bunny debates if she should stop drinking</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve gave a wide yawn, his jaw popping as he did. He quickly snapped it shut when he noticed Bunny walking over towards him with her cooler dragging behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you bring me something good?” he grinned, “And worms? I need worms.” he sighed as he flicked the fishing pole in his hands towards the still water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bunny scrunched her nose up as she sat beside him in the grass. She popped the cooler pulling out a small container, “yeah, I brought worms. Granted.” she snickered, “Why bother? There’s no fish in the lake!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ehhh?” he frowned with a huff, “no, no. It’s a lake there HAS to be fish.” he waggled his finger at her as he smiled. He pulled the line back in to re-worm it. The hook was missing. He gave a heavy sigh at the chewed cord.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it snapped.” She looked at the torn edge, “Well I bet there’s plenty of logs and vegetation in the water.” She opened the cooler to grab a can of beer. She popped the seal and sipped on it, “Why this lake? Why not the one over near the dam? This one doesn’t even have fish. Too much salt from the roads.” She frowned as she thought about it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shuddered, “I don’t want to deal with the people in the lake.” he admitted as he messed with the rod.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah. Swimmers are always there. Something about the old church right?” She frowned, “Honestly I’m surprised it’s held up underwater.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah... Swimmers,” he grumbled as he messed with the fishing line. His fingers weren't’ working with him as he tried to knot a new hook on. He gave a sharp frown as he stared at the appendages. His long pointed tongue stuck out the corner of his mouth as he worked, “Good enough!” he declared holding the rod up triumphantly. He grabbed a worm and stabbed it on, a bit of his blood getting pulled by the hook.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And OOP!” he cast it far to the middle of the lake. A few birds flying away from the disturbance in the water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bet it’ll tear again.” Bunny snickered as she drank her beer. She smiled content with the warm summer breeze that drifted over them as they sat on the lake’s edge. She heard a rustling and jumped looking behind. Seeing a crow she sighed in relief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you hear about old man Vernan’s?” She asked as she watched him try reeling the line in and it got caught in the water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No? What happened?” He asked as he tugged on the pole a bit with a frown. He had to have hooked SOMETHING.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess some bears tore up his trash and yard.” She sighed, “I’m going to have to put new locks on my trash shed. I don’t want to clean up more mess than I do already.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like you have meat in the trash. I eat it.” he laughed as he tried to reel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I still have things in the trash a bear can like.” she sighed as she leaned on her hand watching him, “You’ll snap your line again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gritted his sharp teeth as he began to pull on it. He stood up to pull harder. He felt it get pulled backward. He frowned. He was going to get fish for dinner even if the fish didn’t want it! He growled some, “Y-Yeah!” he mumbled to her as he struggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s going to rip again with that force!” She laughed watching him. He slipped on the mud and face planted, his rod going flying into the lake. “Or. that.” She gave a light sigh, “I have another rod in my truck if you want it-- STEVE!” She laughed as he began to strip down to just his boxers with a frown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am not losing to some dumb fish!” He responded as he began to swim out towards where his rod had sunk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey be careful! I don’t want you getting caught and drowning!” She stood up, beer spilling. She stood on the water’s edge as he dove underneath, “STEVE!” she shouted. She pulled her phone out and frowned at the no service. He better resurface. She chewed on her lip as she clenched her can in her hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She jumped hearing something behind her. She turned facing the woods in a panic. She left her gun in the car. She felt her stomach drop and bent over, vomiting. She winced as she stood up wiping her mouth, not evening noticing as Steve was thrown from the water and slamming into the lakeshore. She jumped as she heard his impact looking over in a panic. “Are you okay?!” she gasped running over. She paled in the face, seeing him all twisted up. She only ever saw animals in car wrecks look like that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sat up and twisted his head back with a huff, “Stupid thing!” he picked up a rock and chucked it into the lake, “FINE KEEP MY FISHING POLE!” he snarled as he popped his shoulder back into place. He glared at the lake, his mouth a little too wide until he noticed the woman standing with a panicked expression. He smiled and gave her a thumbs-up, “I’m okay! I’m okay!” he grinned his goofy grin, “My rod just got tangled in some. Grassy stuff.” he huffed crossing his arms, “Put up a fight too.” He sighed angrily. He ran a hand through his soggy wet black purple hair. He slicked it back out of his face, his black eyes focused on the lake center. He’d have to come back when she wasn’t hanging out with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I have a beer?” he asked as he went to put his clothes back on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well yeah! I brought it to share.” She stared at him and touched his cold skin cautiously making sure he was okay, “Honestly I need to remember you are a contortionist.” she sighed in relief that his bones seemed fine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Contortionist?” he tilted his head with a crack in his neck, “Oh right! The term for bendy folks!” he laughed as he grabbed for his pants and pulled them back on. He didn’t bother with his shirt and just pulled his jacket on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aren't you hot?” She asked, opening the cooler to hand him a beer. She grabbed a fresh one since she spilled most of hers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not really. I mean, I was in the cold water.” He laughed as he cracked it open to sip. He blinked and looked at the can, “new one?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. The place I get it from had a new one for sale, I thought to grab some. I’m not sure I really like it, it’s a little too fruity. But I can always cook with the rest.” She sighed, resting her face on the can to get relief from the heat. “Maybe I’ll make beer can chicken tonight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I think Edmunds has some fresh cucumbers for sale right now. I saw them before I came fishing. We can do a salad with it.” He sipped on the can. He chewed on the can’s edge as he glared at the water, “How busy do you think the river is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I drove over it seemed full of folks swimming.” She admitted, “Lots of kids, so I don’t think you can fish there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed and flopped back on the bank, “stupid human peoples. Stupid fish.” he grumbled and crossed his arms. He closed his eyes as he thought of all the fishing spots in the town, “I guess. I can fish at the old dam.” he sat up in a fluid motion. He was still pouting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t sound so upset.” she laughed and got up as well. She dumped the rest of her beer on the ground, “well let’s go then while there’s daylight to burn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just hate the… swimmers at the dam.” He scowled as he got in the back of her truck. He leaned through the window to the cabin, “They always like to take all the decent fish and they say such weird-ass creepy things.” he sighed as he hung his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, we’ll just go to an area no one’s swimming.” She offered as she hefted the cooler up beside him. “And I don’t know if you really get any rights on judging others creepy-ass sayings!” she laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scowled as he leaned on it. He chewed on his lip a bit, “I just like fresh meat. And they are greedy, greedy bastards.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Says the man who stole an entire deer carcass from my freezer last Tuesday.” she stared blankly at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He recoiled and looked away. He hadn’t thought she knew it was him, “Are you su---”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. That’s me! I’m Steve!” he laughed and scratched at his cheek looking away, “I’ll get you another?” he offered as an apology.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sighed, “it’s whatever. It was a weird one anyway so I guess it’s fine. Just. Ask. You know I don’t really care if you ask.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine…” He grumbled as he sipped on his beer. He watched the tree line as she drove over the backroads. He narrowed his eyes at a dark shape in the trees and leaned on the edge of the truck to stare as they whizzed by. There were more of them lately. He chewed on the can’s lip, denting the metal. His hair blew all around as he recalled Bunny mentioning something odd earlier.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey. What did you say about Old Man Vernan’s again?” he leaned into the cabin, awkwardly fitting through her window.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, bears or something got in his yard! It really wrecked it all up! He said it sounded like howling or screaming. Not the normal bear noises.” She explained as she drove, “Out the window. You know I can’t see when you do that.” She growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right right.” he snapped himself out as he sat in the truck bed. He sipped on his beer as he thought of the dam, “How many people do you think live in the lake?” he mused as he kept his eyes firmly on the trees.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” She tilted her head adjusting her rearview mirror to look at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The lake people.” He repeated as he kept watching the woods. He counted at least six things amongst the trees. That was annoying. Didn’t they know this area was claimed? He sighed before flinching. He stuck his tongue out pulling the metal from his mouth. He chuckled as he flung it from the truck with the can.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“HEY!” Bunny shouted, “No littering asshole! I don’t want Chuck to get mad! I like my spot as first dibs on the roadkill list!” She fumed as she slammed down on the gas shifting the car into 6th gear and tearing off down the empty roadway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve gasped in shock. He couldn’t help but smile in a panicked state as he gripped the edges of the truck to hold on. “Speeding! Speeding!” he gasped, clinging on for dear life to the side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We gotta go fast if you wanna fish in daylight!” she laughed loudly. She cranked the EDM blasting from her stereo making the man groan. He hung his head over the side of the truck, the wind whipping his hair around into a tangled mass. He puffed his cheek out as he closed his eyes. Just. Hoping they’d not be near the village.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh.” She parked her truck with a huff, “Looks pretty dead today despite the heat. Wonder why.” she turned it off and hopped down from the cabin, “I tried to get a spot away from the normal swimming areas!” She grinned, “Actually I think we’re near where that old town was. We should rent some kayaks and look at it sometime.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man paled at the very thought, “We’re near the old town?” he confirmed with her and sighed heavily. Of course, she’d do that. Why wouldn’t she?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” She pulled her cooler from the back and grabbed the old rod from the truck bed. She poked at his leg, “Come on string bean, you wanted to fish.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mrgh.” he grumbled as he stuck his legs over the side of the truck and hopped down. He dusted off and brushed his snarled hair back. He squinted at the lake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think there are any bones?” She pulled her cooler behind her as she headed towards the water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? In the lake?” he raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” she sat down on the shore with a sneaky look, “Can’t claim what’s in public property right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bunny you can’t be thinking…” he sighed and began to laugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What.” she frowned as she opened the cooler and took out a sandwich, “Want one?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What kind is it?” he asked but he held his hand out anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Chicken salad with celery and avocado.” she smiled as she placed one in his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks~!” he grinned and sat down, crossing his long legs as he did. He held the sandwich in his sharp teeth as he messed with the rod. He glared towards the water. He wanted fish tonight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But seriously, I mean if there’s a church, doesn’t that mean a graveyard nearby? Granted they could be worn away from the water.” she frowned, “I’m not big on human remains but I mean. Free bones.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He snorted as he stuck a worm on the hook and cast it as far as he could. He pulled the sandwich from his mouth, swallowing the entire chunk he had in it. “You don’t want the bones in this lake. Besides. How many deaths has it had over the years?” he pointed out with a sigh as he felt something catch his hook. He pulled and watched it drag out. He frowned.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean I know there’s been some deaths and all, but they always pull those bodies out. I’m talking older bones. Like the ones from 100 years ago.” She frowned as she chewed on her food. She tensed up and pulled a small bone from her mouth, “Whoops. Missed one.” she threw it into the lake watching it sink into the water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t feed the lake!” he tensed up. He looked at the spot the bone landed and grimaced seeing it bubble up. Great. Now they were aware of them. He pulled on his rod and was jolted forward towards the water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you must have got a big one!” Bunny cheered for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He planted his feet into the ground with a frown, “I just hope it’s a fish!” he growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well if it’s a beaver or an otter reel it in any way! What Chuck doesn’t know won’t hurt him!” She beamed. She clenched her fists as she watched him struggle. “You got this!” She stood up as she watched him pull and walk backward. She gasped as the line snapped, sending him flying backward into the dirt, “Shit!” She turned to look at him, “Are you okay?!” She held a hand out to help him up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grumbled standing up, “You know what. I think I’m done fishing today.” he sighed, “let’s just go to Edmunds and get shit for dinner.” he grumbled. He’d be returning that night for sure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really? We just got here though.” Bunny stared at the water, “Well, let’s go swimming then! It’s really hot out so might as well enjoy it right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” he paled and scooped her up, “not here! It’s dangerous! I mean something just snapped my line!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve.” She glared, “What have I said about the picking me up thing.” She stared at him with a smile that read ‘your death is coming swiftly’.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He set her down and held his hands up, “look I just. You said we’re near the old town right? It’s off-limits for swimming! Dangerous with the buildings and.. Stuff.” he stared over her head at the bubbling lake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve, it’s just a lake.” she sighed as she began to strip her shirt off, “I’m more than capable of swimming, and I’m not going to go near the town anyway. It’s further out. I just want to swim and cool off.” she threw her shirt on the cooler as she pulled her hair up with the hair tie around her wrist, “besides you already went swimming in the salt lake. This lakes fine for swimmers."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but not... Here.” he frowned and sighed not winning. He took his jacket off and his pants and folded them up alongside hers. If anything at least he’d make sure they didn’t mess with her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See! There we go!” she laughed and patted his thin stomach, “And then once cooled off we can head to the store.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want a chicken with giblets. I want the giblets.” he pouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure thing weirdo.” she laughed walking into the lake. She shuddered at the cold and smiled, “Come on!” She waved as she dove in. She popped back up shaking her hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He frowned and followed after, sticking near her in the water. He shuddered feeling something near his ankles. He glared down in the water biting his tongue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go deeper!” she grinned swimming out further.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait! You said just a dip! And cool off!” he swam quickly after her. He pulled in front to keep her from swimming further out. “There’s all that like weeds and stuff! What if you get tangled?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re higher risk than I am,” she admitted as she pushed him aside in the water and floated on her back. “Mister Seven feet and ganglier than a birch tree.” she snickered. She shifted back to wading as she felt something brush under her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?!” he noticed her shift, “Let’s head back!” he reached out but felt something grab his ankle and pull him under.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve!” Bunny gasped and dove under the water. She looked around best she could but a lot of mud was in the water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She frowned as she pushed her way through and found the young man struggling with what she thought looked like some branch. He must have hooked his foot. She reached to unsnarl the plant. Frowning as it seemed to grip her wrist. The moment steve was free he swam up, grabbing her other wrist. She felt him pull her up, wrist pulled free from below. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They both gasped breaking the surface.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See?! Bad idea to swim here!” He panted and began to swim towards shore pulling her along.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wheezed coughing some water out of her lungs. “I’m not the one who got caught in some god damn plant!” She started to walk as they got to shallower waters. She shook the water from her hair and tried to empty the water from her ears. “Honestly! I told you it was fine but you panicked and got snarled! It’s a good thing I can dive!” she huffed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed heavily and wrung his hair out, “Look. I’m just. Let’s go home. Please?” he begged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I’m tired now anyway and I’m getting hungry again from flailing.” She laughed and patted his back. She undid her ponytail and ran a hand through her curly hair. “Also sit in the cabin. I know it’s cramped for you but I don’t want to get pulled over.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine fine.” he sighed as he brushed his hair from his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on!” She shouted as she loaded the truck up. “Let’s go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming!” he pulled his jacket on giving one last glare at the lake. He grabbed a large rock and chucked it as hard as he could into the waters. He frowned as he stared at the rippling water and flipped it off. Satisfied he ran to hop inside the truck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To Chicken town we go!” Bunny laughed as she started the truck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woo!” Steve beamed. Glad to just get away from the lake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A head stared from the water with a mean glare. It threw the rock back onto the shore vanishing back below leaving the water bubbling.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Too Many Teeth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bunny goes hunting (illegally) in the woods and finds a deer</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bunny pushed her hat up as she walked through the semi-darkened woods. She looked around as she shifted her rifle on her shoulder. She sighed lightly as she did her best to not crunch the leaves beneath her feet. </p><p> </p><p>She paused near a tree, reaching to check the broken branches on it. She frowned. She was having no luck in her hunt today. She leaned against the tree and took her hat off and ruffled her light dusty brown hair. She tucked it back up underneath the old buckskin cap with a huff. She placed a hand on the tree as she snapped her head back, hearing a snapping in the distance.</p><p> </p><p>A fox jumped out. Stopping in front of her. She frowned as she stared at it. She wasn’t hunting fox but. Waste not, want not. She readied her rifle but it took off. She heaved another sigh as she repositioned her rifle over her shoulder. At this rate, she wasn’t going to get anything this morning either. As much as she hated sitting and waiting, maybe it was the only option that’d net her a deer this season.</p><p> </p><p>“CAW!'' The raven crowed as it landed near the hunter causing her to jump.</p><p> </p><p>She took a deep breath before she gave a lopsided smile, “I’m going to go on a limb and say you’re the same little guy who always comes to visit.” She snickered and held her hand out to the bird. It happily hopped onto her outstretched arm. She looked at the large covid with a smug smirk, “Big fella ain’t ya?” the bird took up most of her arm.</p><p> </p><p>“You know at this rate I should name you if you are going to keep popping up.” she scratched it’s neck gently. She looked at the bird as it nuzzled her hand and smirked, “I’m gonna name you, Lil’ Steve. Because you remind me of my friend.” she chuckled, “Dark-colored hair, weird fondness for guts. Yeah. I think it fits.” she chuckled.</p><p> </p><p>The raven seemed to laugh with her and nuzzled her cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“Well little guy. Not so little. I mean you take my whole arm. You’d be such a cute little display piece.” she ruffled its chest, “want to help me find a deer? If you do you can have the inner bits.” she chuckled.</p><p> </p><p>It tilted it’s head and flew off in a hurry. She huffed with a smile. She wondered if it actually had any idea what she meant. She continued walking through the early morning woods with a sigh as she shifted the 30 gauge on her shoulder. She watched the ground carefully, looking up now and then to make sure she’d not run into anything.</p><p> </p><p>As she inspected the ground, she tilted her head and dropped down, gently running her finger over the disturbed earth with a huge buck-toothed grin. Finally it seemed she’d be getting some good luck. She checked around and began to walk along with the prints in the forest. Slow and steady to keep from startling anything she came across. She kept herself low to the ground (which isn’t very hard when you are already as short as she is). She nearly jumped when the raven returned with a loud caw. </p><p> </p><p>She put her fingers to her lips, “Shh!” she warned even though she knew it wouldn’t understand. It fluffed it’s feathers as it hopped along the ground. </p><p> </p><p>It stared at the deer tracks and fluffed up defensively. It pulled on her pant leg with its beak trying to lead her in another direction.</p><p> </p><p>She laughed and reached to push it back a little, “Come on little guy, it’s just deer. I want to get something for dinner tonight!” she smiled as she kept stalking along the trail, slow, quiet, and focused ahead. </p><p> </p><p>She moved the gun so it was ahead of her as she walked. She stuck her tongue out as she crept along. She looked back to see the raven hopping along behind her still fluffed up in a defensive state. She gave a silent laugh as she heard something snapping ahead. She tensed feeling something behind her. She heard the distinct snapping of something behind her. </p><p> </p><p>She turned her head seeing nothing but the raven. She frowned. She shouldn’t get jumpy with a loaded gun. She took a deep breath before she continued forward. The raven huffed glaring behind them towards the trees. He flew off in the direction of the snapping branches.</p><p> </p><p>The hunter kept her body low as she continued along. She ducked beneath a partially snapped tree. Ahead she could see a small heard of deer standing and eating something on the ground. She frowned as she got closer, doing her best to not spook them. She raised her rifle as she started to creep closer. Just a little closer and she’d be able to take a shot.</p><p> </p><p>She paused as she noticed they all were intent on the thing they were eating, not even noticing her as she stalked silently with her raised gun. She tried to shift and get a better viewer and paused.</p><p> </p><p>She tilted her head as she caught sight of their meal. She paled a bit but her lips snarled up in a wild buck-toothed grin with a silent laugh. Seemed today was going to be a two for one for the woman. All that effort was worth the hours of walking in the woods. The feeling of constant eyes worth the prize as she ready her rifle. She looked at the deer and gave a devilish smirk as she looked at the antlers on the buck.</p><p> </p><p>“10 points. Mine.” she snickered as she peered through her scope, lining her gun directly behind the buck’s shoulder. Easy enough shot.</p><p> </p><p>The raven flew back. It landed on her head trying to break her focus however she was already about to shoot and nothing would break that focus of hers. </p><p> </p><p>She took a breath as she stuck her tongue out, her finger squeezing back on the trigger. The sound of the gunshot echoing in the early afternoon woods as all but one deer fled. The buck of the group slumped down. It stood back up and began to run as best it could. </p><p> </p><p>Bunny stood up and began to walk after it at a fast pace. The raven cawed in defiance as she laughed. She readied her gun again as she got closer to the limping deer.</p><p> </p><p>“Shocked you are still moving. But ain’t my first rodeo.” she sang smugly as she traversed the foliage, walking past the deer’s unfortunate meal. She shifted her rifle as she took aim again.</p><p> </p><p>The second shot sent the staggering stag to the forest floor with rasping breaths. The woman shifted the rifle over her shoulder with a smug look. She began to hum as she reached to her hip and pulled out the sharpened blade. She gave it a light spin around her fingers as she snickered. She got on the deer’s back as she held onto the antlers firmly.</p><p> </p><p>“You best behave. I don’t feel like going for a ride today.” She sang as she reached around to get at the animal’s throat. </p><p> </p><p>The buck shot it’s head up but the incision was already made as it rasped and gasped. She jumped back, avoiding the tines of its antlers so she’d not get gored in its thrashing. She adjusted her grip and held the bone tightly with a wild grin. The blood pooled out the more it struggled. Bunny held firm to its antlers with a cheeky smile as she waited for it to give up. She huffed as it finally slumped over in the leaves, eyes staring unfocused. She threw the head down with slight force as she got up and dusted off her jeans.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you!” She bowed to the dead deer. She moved to its side to push it over. She frowned. It had an abnormally distended stomach. </p><p> </p><p>She pressed against it as she adjusted her knife in her hand, “weird. It’s hard. I hope there’s still decent meat.” she huffed. She’d be pissed if she shot a deer she couldn’t even eat. </p><p> </p><p>She looked back towards where she originally saw them. The lynx’s body was lying half-eaten on the ground. She sang to herself as she grabbed the tail and began to slice the deer open along the centerline. She rolled her sleeves up as she reached in to start pulling everything out. She frowned as she pulled out what seemed to be small bone fragments. </p><p> </p><p>She narrowed her eyes and began to collect the fragments in a pile beside her. She sliced at the connective tissues as she removed the internal viscera into a pile. She looked back towards her raven friend, “You can have these if you want!” She chirped, “I know you like the inner parts.”</p><p> </p><p>It hopped over and picked at them tentatively. It stared at the pile on the ground beside the woman as she sorted the organs out and pulled the stomach out. She frowned. It was very hard. She took her knife and sliced along the organ as it rippled open bursting with more bone fragments.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait... I know this shape.” She grumbled as she took the bile soaked pieces in her hand. She held it up towards the sky with a quizzical look, “Are these… Teeth?”</p><p> </p><p>She frowned and looked at the pile. She reached for her water bottle and rinsed them all off.</p><p> </p><p>“Teeth!” She repeated in shock. She snarled a bit as she looked them all over. It wasn’t lining up, “Wait a moment.” </p><p> </p><p>She grabbed her backpack and moved it around opening it. She pulled out a tarp and laid it on the ground. She began to arrange all the teeth in piles. </p><p> </p><p>She leaned on her bloody hand, “Well. Not what I was expecting to find!” She laughed, as she felt her stomach churn.</p><p> </p><p>“Ugh.” she shot up running to a tree and emptied her stomach. She wiped her mouth, smearing blood along her face. </p><p> </p><p>She returned to her kill and the teeth piles. She looked at the raven who was staring at the piles she had made</p><p> </p><p>“Human. Lynx. Deer. Bear. I’m pretty sure those are out of a house cat.” She listed pointing to the piles. She scowled, “How on earth did a DEER wind up with so many types and quantities of TEETH in its abdominal cavity??” </p><p> </p><p>She grabbed the sliced stomach looking it over, “There are no tears here, minus where I sliced it.” she looked at the organ pile and ran her hands over the intestines. She discounted where the bird had picked at it. It seemed seamless as an organ should be. She squeezed along it and frowned again. She took her knife and slit it open. More teeth fell on the tarp.</p><p> </p><p>“What the ever-loving fuck..” she couldn’t even fathom how this many teeth even managed to get in the area, much less into one deer. She continued to carve into its guts and finally removed as many teeth as she could. Curiously she got up to go inspect the lynx the deer had been chewing on. She moved its lips to check the mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“Still a full set. Minus one or two but, it’s an old cat.” She noted. She dragged the corpse over to the deer as she sat back down. She couldn’t help but laugh in her confusion. She sighed as she took her hat off and brushed her hair back. Blood streaking her roots.</p><p> </p><p>“Man, too bad Steve had family shit to deal with.” she sighed, “he would have lost his mind at this deer!” She laughed, “What do you think Lil’ Steve?” she asked the raven who cawed at her. She laughed. She began to gather the teeth up into a single pile.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I’m not going to complain over free bones, even if it’s just really really random teeth. I wonder if I can sort them into full sets.” She mused. She reached into her bag and pulled out some ziplock bags and put the teeth inside. She threw the baggy inside of the deer before she shoved the heart and liver back into the deer and rolled it onto the tarp with the lynx. She pulled ropes from her bag as she tied it up. She wiped her brow and fixed her hat.</p><p> </p><p>“Well now comes the fun part.” She groaned, “I get to lug it to my truck.” </p><p> </p><p>She slumped her shoulders. The hunting and carving were fun. The dragging wasn’t. She stared at the organs on the ground, “Oh right.” she kicked some leaves over them with a sly smirk. She put a bloody finger to her mouth winking at the raven, “Don’t tell anyone~” she giggled.</p><p> </p><p>She gripped onto the ropes and began to pull the two bodies back towards the direction she had come from with a struggle. The raven watched her with a burst of cawing laughter.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah laugh it up buddy!” she snickered herself, “But I am not wasting this! I worked hard for these! Well, at least the deer!”</p><p> </p><p>The raven cawed again and took off into the sky. She waved goodbye as she continued to trek. She had to stop every so often to rest. She panted as she stipped her sweater off, her freckled skin a bright pop of white against the fall foliage of the forest. She shoved her bloody sweater into her backpack as she grabbed the ropes to begin and pull again.</p><p> </p><p>After an hour or so she finally got to her truck with a heavy sigh. She pulled the back down and jumped at the sight before her.</p><p> </p><p>“ASSHOLE!” She shouted as Steve was busy reading his phone as he laid on his back.</p><p> </p><p>“Hiya Buns!” he greeted with that sharp-toothed smile. He rotated around so he could lean on his stomach and looked at the tarp, “Someone had a good day!” he slipped down and flipped to his feet. He crouched near the tarp to open it. He scowled.</p><p> </p><p> He placed a hand to his jaw with a sigh. He rapped pointed fingers on the corpses inside as he looked up at her with a small smirk.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you kill a lynx?” He laughed.</p><p> </p><p>She sheepishly looked away, “I found it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did you report it?” He stood back up dusting his jeans off. He crossed his arms, “Bunny.”</p><p> </p><p>“It was already dead. Deer were eating it.” she kept her eyes away from him.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed as he grabbed one end, he shook his head with a chuckle. “Come on I’ll help you lift it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks!” She beamed as they threw the two animal carcasses in the truck bed. He glared at the deer with a look of disdain.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t tell Chuck?” he asked as he brushed his hair back.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t tell Chuck!” She grinned, “oh that reminds me. The deer was another weird one!” she wiped her hands on her pants as she threw her bag into the truck bed, “When we get to the shop, I’ll show you.” </p><p> </p><p>She paused, “Wait why were you even in my truck. I thought you had a family thing today.”</p><p> </p><p>“I did.” he shrugged as he opened the door for her, “but I finished early and headed back. I saw your truck so-- I decided to wait for you to get back.” he smirked.</p><p> </p><p>“I see, Well did you have a good time?” she hopped up and grabbed for the spare water she kept in the truck. She drained the bottle with a heavy sigh.</p><p> </p><p>“Not really. Was annoyed.” he huffed, “Stupid trespassers got in the way of things, so I had to go deal with them instead of having fun and then just. UGH!” he groaned and got in on the passenger’s side. He curled his long legs up with a frown. He covered his face with his long fingered hands.</p><p> </p><p>She laughed, “Well if we work together, we can get that deer butchered up for dinner.”</p><p> </p><p>“Right.” he frowned and looked back at the tarp. He squinted at it with a snarl, “It is dead right?” he tapped his index finger against his cheek as he stared.</p><p> </p><p>“Huh?” she paused as she started the truck up. “Of course it’s dead.”</p><p> </p><p>“But are you sure it’s dead?” he asked as he leaned on the seat, bent in a fashion a normal person would be in extreme discomfort.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes! I shot it twice, slit its throat, sliced it open, removed all its organs, then shoved the liver and heart back inside!” She laughed, “If it’s still alive after that, it isn’t a deer!” She snickered. She tapped her hands on the steering wheel, “I sat on it’s back when it beld out and I left its organs primarily in the woods! Plus! There’s the teeth!”</p><p> </p><p>She pulled the truck onto the road and began to drive, “Not the weirdest deer I’ve seen. Not like those mutants we get here and there with multiple eyes and limbs.” she shuddered, “I swear we should get a new classification for some of ‘em because they don’t strike me as deer.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. Not a deer.” he frowned, “Can we get burgers for dinner?” he turned to look at her with a tired gaze, “I’m not really wanting to eat wherever is in the truck bed.”</p><p> </p><p>“I have fresh deer! Do you know how much I worked to poach that this morning?! And carry it?!” She gasped as she slammed on her brakes, something jumping in front of her truck. </p><p> </p><p>Steve grimaced as he flew into the windshield with a loud thunk. He groaned as he peeled himself off and tried to put his face back in order. He cracked his neck with a grimace. Black blood dripping from where he bit his tongue. He wiped at his mouth with a snarl.</p><p> </p><p>Bunny jumped out of the truck to rush to the front to check her fender. Blood dripped down. She frowned. She looked around with a huff. </p><p> </p><p>Not a single sight of what she hit. She pulled a small amount of fur from the bumper as she scowled. She ran back to the cabin, “You okay?” She asked, reaching to check her friend’s face.</p><p> </p><p>“Just sore,” he admitted as he cracked his neck. He looked back and shuddered. The tarp was blown open and only the lynx remained. Blood smeared out the back of the truck bed to the pavement.</p><p> </p><p>Bunny followed his shocked expression and gasped, “MY DEER!” She yowled angrily. </p><p> </p><p>She jumped out again and looked around, “How does a 10 point dead buck fly out of a truck?!” She snapped and slumped her shoulders defeated.</p><p> </p><p>“Burgers?” she asked sadly as she climbed into the driver’s seat. </p><p> </p><p>She rested her head on the steering wheel with a heavy sigh. She tensed up. She leaned out the open door as she threw up and sat back up panting. She took the napkins Steve offered her and shut the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. I’ll grill them.” he grinned. He closed his mouth as he grabbed for her bag and fumbled around, grabbing a water bottle and opening it for her, “here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine.” she sighed, taking the bottle and sipping on it. “thanks.” she mumbled, getting the truck back in gear.</p><p> </p><p>Steve stared out the window as they drove on the empty road. He shut his eyes as he let the wind whip his hair around. He opened his eyes as he watched the treeline and squinted with a small snarl, pulling himself out the window some as he tried to get a better look.</p><p> </p><p>“STEVEN GET YER SCRAWNY ASS BACK IN THE TRUCK!” Bunny shouted angrily.</p><p> </p><p>He laughed loudly as he sat back down with a smug smirk, “Sorry. Was. checking something.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you die I lose my under table assistant.” she huffed.</p><p> </p><p>“Aw I love you too.” he snickered as he leaned on the window again with a big dumb grin, “We should get some chips too. Or red skin potatoes. I can do foil packs.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah sure, sure.” she pouted, “Deer is stupid anyway.” she sighed. She looked at the woods in her review with a scowl.</p><p> </p><p>From the forest the deer skipped off, the baggy of teeth dropping from its open abdomen to the ground with a wet schlup as it vanished into the darkened woods.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Out To Lunch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just a normal day in Pinehaven dealing with poor city hunters and poachers</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Scalpel.” Bunny held her hand out as she stood above the bear’s body. She frowned as she pulled the skin away from the flesh, “God, Scot did a horrible job on shooting this thing.” she sighed as she took the sharpened blade from the man. She ripped at the flesh, blood dripping down the table onto the floor. “I get I offer to cut the damn things up for a lower fee if I get to keep the skeleton and shit but this is a mess.” she pried the snapped arrow from the shoulder with a sigh. “He didn’t even bother with ANY field dressing! Leaving all the work for me to do!” She hissed as she worked, “Does he WANT spoiled meat?! Ugh I know he’s a city boy but. Come on you nabbed a bear at least do it right!” she fumed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but hey, bones for your collection, granted don’t you have a few black bears already?” Steve helped her get a grip as they finished flaying the carnivore, the head still attached to the pelt. He held the bloody skin up as he moved to wash it in the sink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bunny grabbed her butcher’s set to get to work on the secondary part of her job, “Well I do. But I don’t have a headed pelt. I think it’ll be nice on the floor as a rug.” She admitted as she pulled her wheel table over. She changed her gloves as she got her larger knives out from the sleeve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve frowned as he washed the bearskin in the sink. He grinned with a cheeky thought and shoved his hand in the neck and ran it over, smooching her on the cheek with the nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ARG! STEVE!” She snapped, knife dropping from her hand to the floor with a clatter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m jus’ a whittle bwack bear!” he mimicked a child’s voice, throwing it so it seemed to come from the bear as he moved the jaw up and down, “Won’t you wuv me miss bunny?” he giggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve stop fucking around! You’ll damage it! And quit it with the freaky voice thing! I hate the freaky voice thing!” she hissed as she wiped at her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed as he went to finish washing the pelt before moving to help her with the actual butchering. He drooled a bit as they began to slice it open. She sighed watching him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t I tell you to eat before we started? Again?” She sighed. He flinched, looking away from her stony gaze. Doing his best to avoid eye contact.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve.” She chided as she continued her work, “Honestly. If you drool every time we work, then I’m going to stop letting you help. We’ve been at this for two years now I’m getting sick of it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?!” He gasped, “no! Bunny, don’t do that!” he fretted as he helped hold the bear open, “I’m sorry! Fresher stuff just!” he gulped back more drool, “I’ll eat before work next time I swear!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You better! You Stupid gangly string bean!” She huffed as she stabbed the knife through the flesh and drew it back, “Honest to god, I literally pay you in food half the time, is your stomach a bottomless pit?” She reached down to pull out the insides with a groan, “I told him to empty this first. This spoils the meat so much faster.” she threw them in the buckets near the floor. She pointed her knife at the dark-haired man, “Don’t. Even. Think. About. It.” she snapped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulled back, hands up defensively, “I know, I know!” He laughed as he helped to empty it. He held the bear’s heart in his hands and looked at her, “we get the insides right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She glared across the table and held her hand out. He frowned and held the heart tightly. She narrowed her eyes as she snarled. He sighed and handed it over with a side glance at the floor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll fry it after we’re done.” She finally stated as she reached inside the cavity to begin slicing the actual meat cuts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grinned widely, sharp teeth jutting out in excitement, “Really?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, if you do a good job,” she laughed as she began to strip the layer of fat from the bear, “Fresh bucket.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing with that?” Steve asked as she threw the fat into the pail with a squelch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can cook with it. But I like using it when I do leatherwork,” she admitted as she continued to remove the strips of lard, throwing them all into the bucket until she got to the meat of the bear. She sighed as she got off her stool to change gloves and check her notes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course he wants fancy cuts. Can’t he just get it bone cut like a normal person?” she grumbled as she washed her hands and kicked on the ac in the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lunch break?” Steve asked excitedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lunch break.” She agreed and grabbed the heart and liver. She frowned, “How much milk do we have?” She moved them onto a tray and set it on the counter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think there was half a gallon. I can always run to Edmund’s.” he took his gloves off before he stripped his shirt off, revealing his bony torso. He grabbed his spare shirt and pulled it over before grabbing his jacket.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Half a gallon should work. I’ll need some before tomorrow. I wanted to make french toast.” She pulled her apron off as she ruffled her hair. She pulled the hair tie out and retied it up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ugh I need a haircut,” she grumbled before grabbing the tray as they headed to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can go schedule you one.” He offered as he pulled out the skillet and a few plates, “Just fried, or are we going to mess with it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I want to soak the liver. I think bear is a little strong,” she admitted as she reached for a bowl from the lower cabinets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So the liver is more on the dinner menu.” he grabbed a cutting board, “do we want to cook something else with the heart then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m thinking of rice, and honestly we should slow roast the heart.” she admitted grabbing some apples, “It’ll taste better in a slow cooker.” She glanced up at the man who looked distressed at the thought, causing her to burst out laughing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine, I’ll steak it and we can fry it for lunch. Stop giving me the puppy face.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He snapped a smile back on as he began to sing lowly, in a language she didn’t quite understand as he got the rice ready. She sighed as she grabbed the organs and set the liver in a bowl. She grabbed the milk covering it and then plastic wrapping it and throwing it into the fridge. She took the heart and cutting board and got to work on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Should we do a vegetable?” She wondered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have some fresh green beans from Miss Wells down the road. And.” he frowned, “Zucchini.” he stuck his pointed tongue out disgusted, “why do they give us SO MUCH zucchini??” he shuddered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because it’s a goddamn monster of a plant.” She laughed, “We should do a veggie pasta sometime before it spoils. I think I have that old attachment for my kitchenaid somewhere.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We could pickle some too. Ship it off to your Moms. I’m sure they’d love it.” He offered, setting the rice into the insta-pot with a sigh. “Or maybe bake some bread. I don’t know. Fuckign zucchini…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t sound so upset we have to come up with a million uses for zucchini.” she snickered as she washed the heart in the sink. She set it down and began to trim it, “But let’s do steamed green beans, rice, and bear heart then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good to me!” he beamed as he got to work on preparing the green beans while she sliced up the bear’s heart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He began to sing again as he worked. His low voice reverberating as he spoke in the foreign language with a happy expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What IS it that you sing in?” she asked as she threw some butter in the pan as it set a steam cloud up as it sizzled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hah?” he stopped to think. Tapping his pointed fingers to his chin in deep thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He frowned and shrugged, “Don’t know!” he admitted with a laugh, “I just know the songs. And they keep me calm!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She huffed as she seasoned the heart and threw it into the pan, “I see. It’s pretty. Can you translate it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nope~!” he sang as he wiped the drool from his mouth, “As I said, I merely know the words! The melodies. But that’s it!” he laughed. He pulled the rice from the pot and fluffed it up and moved it to the kitchen table. “I have a feeling I don’t really want to know what it means.” he chuckled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She snorted, “I wonder if you heard it as a kid and it just stuck?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Could have been. But I don’t remember my childhood soooooo.” He shrugged. He grabbed a few plates down as he set the table, “water or?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine with water.” She hit the pan with her hand causing the meat inside to flip, “Almost done over here~!” She sang happily as she grabbed the plate handed to her and placed the heart steaks on it with a big grin, “Lunch is served!” she laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve drooled as they went to sit at the table. He stabbed a large piece on his plate and shoved the entire thing in his mouth happily chewing on it, “You can’t beat organs~!” he chuckled as he heard his phone ring. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulled it out with a frown, “Hello?” He asked, mouth full of food. He blinked, “This is Steve, though Buns is right here. Hold on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He handed the phone over to the woman who took it with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Bonnibel Wicker. You slay it, I flay it, what’s up?” She asked with a small frown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Bunny, it’s Chuck. We got a few animals that this fella decided he’d shoot from his truck.  Wondering if you’d be willing to come down and help us lug them back to the station and slice them up.” Chuck’s voice was barely audible as it crackled  through the phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean I can. I was in the middle of chopping a bear up for Scot.” She admitted as she waved her fork with a chunk of heart on it. Steve’s eyes watched it carefully. “I can throw it in the chiller.” she shoved the piece in her mouth with a frown, “What animals got caught? I’m gonna make a bold assumption it’s deer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, couple of does. Nothing fancy. Still, will be good food for the shelter.” He explained as the phone seemed to break up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah just. Text me the location. We’ll head over in a bit.” She sighed, “Also get better service. Your reception really sucks.” She handed the phone back to the man who was finishing eating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wonder why he called my phone.” Steve frowned, “Isn’t it easier to call yours? There was no guarantee I was here.” he sighed, “I live next door I could have been home. Or at the store. Or in the woods.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve as if you really go anywhere. You spend most of your time here.” she snickered as she pushed her half-eaten plate towards him, “I’m going to go get changed, you can have this.” She got up and cracked her shoulders with a huff, “And I left my phone in the workroom. I bet he was trying to call me and I didn’t hear it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took her plate as he frowned, “You shouldn’t do that.” he snickered as he finished off her lunch as well, getting up to wash the dishes. “Think he’d get mad if I was in the truck bed?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s Chuck. He knows you. He’s seen my truck. He knows you don’t fit right.” She laughed as she went to change. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve sighed as he scrubbed at the dishes, singing softly as he did. Yup guts were good. Raw was good. But Bunny did know how to cook. He was glad he chose to follow her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning the sink off he dried his hands on his pants before he headed to wait outside. He checked the back of the truck to make sure they had all the needed tools for the job, scowling as his numbers didn’t add up, “Hey Buns! One of your tarps is gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just grab one from the shed!” She shouted as she came outside. She shoved her hair up into her hat with a scowl, “Wind probably took it. It’s not like I weigh them down.” she shrugged, “tarps are cheap and I ruin them often.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah because you poach.” he snickered, “and here we are. Going to help deal with confiscated poached animals.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She kicked his shins as she got in the truck, “Silence or I won’t cook the liver at dinner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gasped as he crawled in the back, “you wouldn’t!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Try me.” She sneered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He frowned and sighed, “I’ll behave! I promise! Please cook the liver tonight!” he begged, leaning through her back window into the cabin in a contorted mess.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. yeah.” She snickered as she started the truck. She reached back and shoved his face out the window, “Sit down I can’t fucking see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laid in the bed with a laugh, kicking his feet up on the back of the truck bed as he got comfortable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bunny laughed as she kicked the music on heading out down the dirt roads, singing along horribly to the music. The autumn air crisp.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve closed his eyes as he sang along with her. Their voices a horrible mismatch down the back roads.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think they’ll be normal?” Steve paused singing as she hit a bump causing him to nearly fall out of the truck. He gripped the window with a frown, “Like </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual</span>
  </em>
  <span> deer?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean?” she frowned, “If you mean if it’s another of those weird mutant deer I doubt it. Chuck doesn’t let me butcher those for the shelter.” she sighed, “I always get the fucking weird ones. I know that’s part of my bargain with him but seriously give me a break.” she grumbled as she shifted gears, “Hold on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh fuck.” the man gripped the sides as she tore off faster. He bit down on his tongue feeling the blood fill his mouth, “B-Bonnibel! Come on!” he choked and spat the viscous fluid, “SLOW DOWN PLEASE! I’m gonna!! OOF!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gasped as he flipped in the bed as she hit a rock and landed in a mess against the rear of the truck. His eyes spun as the car finally slowed down and came to a halt. He yelped as the back was opened and he tumbled to the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You okay there? I told ya to hold on.” She laughed, holding a hand to help him up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He winced and rubbed his face as he wiped the blood from his mouth, “Really I know you’re excited but can you drive like a normal person for </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” he sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shrugged, “Longer I take the meat will spoil.” she reached into the truck to grab her tools and slung the bag over her shoulder, “let’s go. They should have them set up for me to get to work.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He reached to smooth his hair and brought the fluffy mass around his shoulder and braided it out of his face, flicking it back over his shoulder as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He followed after Bunny as she hopped over to where the greying game warden was standing, two deer hung up to bleed and a cigarette in his mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yo! Chuck!” Bunny raised a hand in a wave, her eyes bright as she looked at the carcasses, “Ahhh good deer!” She grinned looking them over. She reached a hand to pull on the one closest to her, “Oh this is a mother.” she noted looking it over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. he poached the fawns too it seems. Was planning to sell them to some city taxidermist wanting to do a big display.” Chuck sighed and removed his hat to wipe his forehead as he sweated in the fall air.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You getting sick?” she mused as she stared at him, “Fawnnnnsssss?” she gave a buck toothed grin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scowled, “Miss Wicker.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” she grinned cheekily, “what are you going to do with a couple of poached fawns? You know with me I ain’t making a profit.” she scoffed annoyed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’ll just keep begging.” Steve laughed as he looked at the other deer hanging, “this one is done bleeding it seems.” he pulled on it, “Want us to get going? Do you have bags or something so you can move it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The warden sighed, “I swear you two. And yes. I have some coolers in my truck. Hold on.” he waved and blew smoke out of his moustache and walked to the forest green truck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bunny set her bag down and pulled out her knife, “Steve lay out a tarp for me would you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“On it.” he headed towards the truck and scowled, “Looks like we lost another when driving…” he frowned deeply, wrinkling his brow, “must have been when I flipped over…” he grumbled and grabbed one heading over with a bucket as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh smart.” she noted as he laid the tarp down and undid the bucket lid.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here’s the coolers.” Chuck set them down, “I’ll run to get some ice. If you do a good job. You can have one of the fawns.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I’ll do a good job!” She scowled, “honest to fuck, Chuck. You know my work.” she pointed the now bloody knife at him as she worked on the deer. “Seriously.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know. I’ll throw it in your truck.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just set it over here. Last few carcasses I left in the truck while working keep getting picked at.” She scowled, “If I have a fawn i want it as unblemished as I can. My Ma did say she wanted something new for the porch.” she smirked as she began to peel the skin, “well at least he dressed it. Unlike Scot. Fuckign Scot.” she growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aw.. shame.” Steve pouted, “No guts.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No glory.” Chuck added, “They are poached animals, Mr. Smith.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I know.” Steve sighed as he helped Bunny with the skin and threw it in the bucket, “You care about the pelt at all?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now you two can do whatever you do with them.” Chuck dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief, “I’ll be back. Need anything from Edmund’s?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A ginger ale!” Bunny grinned as she reached into the deer to check the inside, “Oh he left the loin. Moron.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m set.” Steve laughed, “We were eating lunch right before we came.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah. That explains why you sounded annoyed.” Chuck laughed a belly jiggling laugh. He placed his hat back on and stomped his cigarette into the dirt, “I’ll be back. Don’t make trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trouble was my middle name.” Bunny mumbled as she moved to grab her saw, “Should have at least one of these partially done when you get back. The other one is a little small so shouldn’t be as long. You don’t care if it’s fancy so I’m going to just hack them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That works. As long as we can use it.” He chortled as he got in his truck and drove off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Psh as long as you can use it.” she mocked, “of course. It eats the same.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, raw, rotted, fresh, cooked.” Steve smirked as he grabbed a knife to help start the next deer, “Maybe you can use one of these pelts to replace your hat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He flinched seeing her glare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My hat is fine. It’s held up this long.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bunny your hat is olddddddd.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re old.” she snorted as she began to sever the head from the rest of the body, “Wonder if he’ll let me keep the heads…” she frowned as she heard the crack of the neck snapping.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Most likely. I mean he normally does.” Steve laughed and held his hand out to take the saw as she finished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She picked up a nice sharpened knife and got to work carving the shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Should we make cauliflower with the liver?” She asked as she threw the first shoulder into the cooler.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wiped his chin as he thought about it, “I kind of want broccoli instead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright that works.” she shrugged, “I want to get red potatoes too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh we should see if there’s fresh rosemary. That tastes so good. Maybe a foil pack?” he suggested.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh I like that idea.” she laughed as they continued to work.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They continued in silence, the only sounds were the woods around the cabin and the sound of the knives in the meat until the familiar sound of tires on gravel alerted them to the return of the game warden.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He whistled as he walked over, holding the small bottle to the butcher as she threw the last bit of meat into a cooler from the deer she was working on. She took it with a sigh and cracked it, sipping on it as she stood beside the hooks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked at the meat and added ice to the coolers with a sigh, “thanks Bunny. You always work fast.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gave him a thumbs up as she drank the gingerale until it was gone and gave a heavy sigh, “It’s my profession I have to be.” she laughed loudly. She chucked the bottle towards her truck and took the knife from Steve to finish up faster.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” he growled, “I can do it!” he frowned, crossing his arms in a pout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but I want to go home.” she sighed, “we gotta go to the store and that liver is gonna take a bit of cooking in the slow cooker.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed, “fine.” he grabbed the coolers and helped Chuck load them into his truck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Steve.” The warden frowned, “I know her truck’s uncomfortable but ride in the cabin. Someone saw you do a somersault earlier.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He paled, “ah… well. She was just… hitting a rock.” he scowled, “her truck cabin’s so smalllll come onnnnn.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deal with it. It’s the law. I’m a game warden but I like you two so I’m gonna let it slide today.” the older gentleman huffed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve sighed and rubbed his neck looking at Bunny as she finished the second deer and brought the cooler over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sooo Chuck. About the heads.” She grinned making him shake his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes go ahead.” he laughed, “thanks for butchering.” he waved a hand as he got back into the truck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bunny shoved her hands into her sweater pocket and waved him off as she looked at the cleanup and shook her head, “Alright. Let’s get this done.” she held her fist up which Steve placed his fist against hers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright let’s do this.” he laughed and began to hum as they cleaned up. He looked at the fawn corpse and gently lifted it with a sad look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s already dead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know just…” he frowned and brushed its fur. He shifted to close its eyes and kissed the forehead gently before going to lay it in the truck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two finished their clean up and got in the truck. He folded his legs up with a scowl as he opened the window to lean out so he had some space.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stupid Chuck.” he grumbled as Bunny turned the truck on and started to drive off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well could be worse. Could be a fine!” she laughed as she sped off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah true. Hey tomorrow wanna go do a picnic? You know go out for lunch, make some like egg salad and go I don’t know. Find something cool?” he grinned maliciously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gave a smirk back, “Oh yes. We’ll find something cool. Maybe a doe. Or buck. Or raven or falcon or a bear!” she laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He snickered, “Suck on that Chuck!” he cackled. Bunny couldn’t help laughing loudly as they cruised down the roads. </span>
</p><p>
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